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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22939339">The Art of Darkness</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/JazzsGirl/pseuds/JazzsGirl'>JazzsGirl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batim - Fandom, Bendy and the Ink Machine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:54:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,180</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22939339</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/JazzsGirl/pseuds/JazzsGirl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been many years since the studio closed. Many years since its employees went missing. Many years since anyone even cared. But for one person that past has never been at rest. Never been forgotten. She had survived her own personal hell on earth and came out stronger, if not a bit damaged. Now she wants to face the past and find out what happened to the father she had never known. But will she ever have the strength to open the door to the studio and face the truth that hides within?</p>
<p>He was created by a mad man. Locked away and despised. Now he rules the studio as its god. But even gods can want more then what they have. He longed for freedom. For what was beyond the studios walls. When he gets the chance to see the outside world he finds a new obsession. One who doesn't have anything to do with the studio. Or does she?</p>
<p>What twist of fate would have their paths cross and stay intertwined? Will she bring salvation the ink demon and the trapped souls? Or will she be their undoing? What about Joey? Has he finally given up or is he still chasing an impossible dream?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bendy (Bendy and the Ink Machine)/Original Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Art of Darkness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>    All was quiet in the studio. The projectors were all off. The soft whir of the gears as the film cycled through a distant memory, much like the once cheerful atmosphere that had radiated within the studio. Now there was only quiet. The building itself empty of the lively crowd that had been its heart and soul.</p>
<p>    Joey frowned as he made his way through the silent empty halls. This was not what he had wanted. This wasn't a part of his plans, his dreams! But it was okay. He would fix this. He would set things right and make everyone see that he wasn't crazy! Make everyone see that his ink machine would revolutionize the industry. Everyone would be praising him!</p>
<p>    He gripped the box in his arms a little tighter as he neared his destination; a large room in the lower level that had little in it. It had once been one of the various unused storage rooms, now though, it would be the birth place of his revival. It would be the place from where all his dreams would come true.</p>
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<p>    It had taken years to figure out. Years of trial and error. Of frustration. Of anger. Of desperation. He had been locked up to many times. Sammy kept ranting on and on about how he would be his salvation. How he would 'set him free', but he couldn't do that. How could he free anyone when he couldn't even free himself. The halls of the studio had become claustrophobic. He wanted out. Wanted to see something new. Something with more color then the sepia halls and black ink.</p>
<p>    The first time he had done it he had been so shocked that he had reverted back nearly instantly. Now though, he can hold the new appearance for days. It still didn't feel natural to him. It was as if he stuffed himself into something that was to small. If he allowed more of his demonic nature out it helped. Made the form feel more 'real' to him. Less like a suit or costume and more a part of him. </p>
<p>    One hurtle down made for another to reveal itself. Now that he could look like them, he couldn't escape the studio. The door wouldn't open even for him. This was more frustrating then the appearance thing. The studio was his kingdom. He was the god here. There should be nothing about it that he couldn't control. No place he couldn't go. Yet, just as the door allowed that human, Henry, in those few years ago, it also didn't open to let anything out.</p>
<p>    That was until one day. He wasn't sure exactly how he had known, but something had just different. It felt to him as if a weight had been lifted. He just knew that the door would open for him this time. His excitement nearly blinded him. He almost forgot to change forms, having reached out to the door before his thoughts caught up with his actions. Nothing could compare to the moment when he did turn the knob and pulled the door open. Colors he had never seen before in his black and white world overwhelmed him. The blue of the sky being his favorite. Had he ever seen the sky beyond his cartoons before? </p>
<p>    He could remember taking the scenery in. The door closing behind him as if to say that the horrors beyond were meant to stay locked away. But he didn't care. He was outside. He was finally free! The sound of footsteps and sniffling pulled him from his delight. Instantly, moving more on instinct then anything, he honed in on the sound and melted into an inky pool shifting into the nearest shadow. A human was walking away from the studio. It was shaking its head and moved a hand to wipe at its face. He was intrigued. Was this human have something to do with the door opening? Had it done something to free him? He snuck closer, sticking to the darkest shadows.</p>
<p>    The human seemed to have trouble breathing. Its shoulders were shuddering and he could hear the heaving breaths. It had stopped walking and after a few more swipes at its face he got the chance to see the human from the front, closer then he had thought. Its face were red, from the tears or the rubbing he didn't know. Its face was round, figure slim, even under the layers of clothes. The blue eyes shone with unshed tears, but he didn't dwell. It was the features of its face. <em>'Sammy?' </em><span>He thought. Nearly as quickly as the thought had appeared he realized how stupid the idea was. Sammy was still wandering around the music department and Sammy was distinctly male. Even with the inky changes it wasn't hard to tell. Yet this human was smaller, slimmer, more fragile looking. As his hidden eyes roamed over the human he felt an unusual warmth seep into him. A small bulge at the human's chest told him that it was a woman.</span></p>
<p>    He sat quietly in his inky shadow just watching the woman as she seemed to have some sort of internal debate. She turned and looked at the studio before lowering her gaze and a sad smile making its way onto her lips. </p>
<p><span>    “Maybe next year...” She said. Her voice, though quiet was like music to his currently nonexistent ears. </span>The first new sound since Henry's arrival. Yet, even more then that there was just something so sweet about it. Those three words, completely arbitrary to him, had never sounded so good. He wanted to hear more. Whatever she would say had to sound just as good, right? </p>
<p>    An odd chill ran through him, replacing the pleasant warmth, as she turned away from and continued to walk away. No. Nononono. NO! Stay! He wanted to shout after her, but something kept him from doing so. It was an unnatural feeling. He didn't want to scare her. He ruled the studio, yet now that he was outside he felt small, weak. He didn't know what she would do if she saw him. He almost wanted to know, but at the same time he didn't want to scare her away from the studio for good. She had said next year right? So that meant that she was going to come back. He would get stronger. He wouldn't remain this weak. No, by the time she came back, he would be ready.</p>
<p>    He continued to watch her. There was just something about her that drew him to her. He would figure out what it was. When she was no longer visible to him, he reformed, careful to stay has hidden as possible. Once his human form was free of the shadows he took a few steps in the direction she had gone. He smiled. He had a new goal. A new obsession. Something that could drive him forward even once he returned to his stagnate world inside the studio. Oh yes, this next year was going to prove to be interesting. </p>
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